I believe you are right about that. But Fitzgerald was in a very difficult position. It's no secret that sometimes the cops wait for drug dealers or other petty criminals to go ahead with their crimes so they have something to prove they did. But given the magnitude of what Blagojevich was about to try and pull off, selling a seat in the U.S. Senate I think Fitz felt he had to move to prevent it. If Blago had appointed someone then that person would be representing the fourteen million citizens of Illinois on one of the most powerful bodies in the world.

I give kudos to Fitzgerald, he would rather see a sleaze go free if it comes right down to it than get his trophy at the cost of damaging the integrity of the U.S. Government. And further, today constitutes punishment, even if Blago does beat the rap.

Blago was denied evidence and witnesses he wanted and needed to defend himself because the legislature would not let him use the information. They based this decision on the say-so of a prosecutor who has held a press conference but not brought an indictment.

Impeachment is a political process conducted in the guise of a judicial proceeding. The legislature can make any rules they want, and the rules they made here were fundamentally unfair to the Governor.

This is a reminder of why we are fortunate to have a constitution with a bill of rights. Who knows what procedures our legislators would come up with if turned loose on the court system.

Maybe he will do a Count of Monte Cristo act and discover the secret Al Capone stash, and then reappear to buy his way into a Senate seat.New Jersey has low prices. Maybe NY or better yet, the Mayor of NYC. Money talks at the Democrat ranch, but for now Blago walks.

I always confuse loaf with loave. Loaf is singular and loaves are plural is that correct?

But here is my dilemma. If I pinch one loaf, meaning sitting on the throne only once, but many loaves come out am I pinching a loaf or loaves? Can one loaf be defined as one stop on the lou but with many different loaves shooting out of my ass that is like a 14 year olds?

JohnAnnArbor said..."Because a Chicago newspaper threatened to publicize the investigation. Fitz was furious."

I had thought that it was worse than that - they had the story, they'd been holding it back at Fitz' request, but then went to print with it on thursday or friday of the week before the feds arrested Blago, thereby precipitating said arrests because once the story was out, the jig was up.

David said..."Not a great moment in American justice or politics. Blago was denied evidence and witnesses he wanted and needed to defend himself because the legislature would not let him use the information."

The released transcript between Emanuel and Blagojevich showed little love between the two, so I'm doubtful of your suspicion.

Perhaps Emanuel and/or the transition team was tipped by someone (either in Fitz's office or by someone from the Trib) that it was a trap, that Blago's phone was tapped, looking for pay to play players. Maybe that is why Emanuel and Obama suddenly and otherwise inexplicably distanced themselves from their good old buddy Blago. Maybe that was when they affixed the halos and put the angelic expressions on their faces. Maybe absent that tip this all would've gone down a very different road.

"So yeah, I'm just going to go ahead and get out of here, there is a back door, right?...Yeah, Terry, just put all that stuff in one of those paper crates and ship 'em to the Misses." - Rod the Retahd Blagojevich

Posted by Zack Stovall at 3:42 PM Labels: blagoblogo, brevity speaks volumes, this is not long, who let this picture get out

Michael said...Yeah, but I guess, with no real evidence...Hard to gather evidence when the media interferes in your investigation. We'll never know who they were covering for. Given the history of the Chicago media covering for Obama it's not hard to wonder who it might be.Duh.Such an intelligent comment. Wow.